Politically, the reformers would like to increase administrative efficiency and establish a more effective government. They suggested the abolition of sinecures and useless posts; for example, the president and vice-president of the Board of Rites were dismissed. A budget was also prepared for national finance. Legal codes were simplified to pave the ways for the abolition of extra-territoriality. If the reform were given enough time to carry out, it could successfully tackle the problems the Qing government faced.
Economically, programs were carried out to stimulate economic development. The reformers abandoned the traditional thinking of “Scorn trade and concentrate on agriculture”; they set up a Board of Mining, Agriculture and Industry to better organize the economic development for the future. They also encouraged the construction of railways to facilitate transportation so as to increase trade. These reform programs really aimed at the problems – backward economic development, and were possible to carry out in a favorable reform environment, so it is not justifiable to say they were too idealistic.
Militarily, the reform programs aimed at strengthening the military strength to resist foreign imperialism. The reformers were no longer as idealistic as their forerunners in the previous reform, they understood that military strengthening could never be achieved by merely adopting western guns and canons, more have to be done. They set up military schools and set up a new army and navy trained by western methods. They had more foresight in the modern world and were not all idealistic in the reform.
Socially different reform programs tried to tackle various problems in education, social aspect, etc. Modern schools which combined Chinese and Western learning were set up, more students were sent abroad to study, the eight-legged essay was abolished, an imperial university was set up in Beijing. People were allowed to petition to the Emperor directly. They were given the right to assembly. These programs were down-to-earth as they focused on the inadequacies of China’s situation and sought method to tackle them.
Therefore, the reform programs were not idealistic at all, in fact, they were rather practical. However, a reform was doomed to fail when there was no favorable reform atmosphere such as outstanding leadership, widespread support, adequate finance, etc.
There was not enough time to carry out the reform programs; they were carried out in haste. Guangxu order 40 reform edicts in a mere 90 days. As the programs were mostly structural reform such as setting up of now schools, abolition of futile officials, etc, the provincial leaders found it impossible to digest so many reforms. Moreover, they found themselves lack of the necessary manpower, resources and finance to facilitate the reform programs.
The greatest obstacle to reform came from Cixi and her conservative loyalties. Cixi could not accept reform beyond the adoption of western devices and institutions to supplement indigenous institutions. She regarded the reform as too radical as it attempted to reform China at the expense of traditional culture and thinking. She also feared that the reform would oust her from her current position. The conservatives disliked the reform for it threatened their interests such as the abolition of futile officials, etc. As Cixi still had a firm grasp of control both politically and militarily, her showdown was a death warrant to the reform. Yu and Scalpino remarked, “The reform was doomed to fail at a time when the balance of power, both politic and military, was still with the traditionalists at the highest level.”
Moreover, the reformers were too idealistic and had not real understanding of power politics. Kang and Liang were southern scholars who had no political experience. They didn’t understand the political intricacies of the metropolitan government, thus they were easily defeated when Tuan Shi-kai betrayed them. Guangxu had no actual power also, or he wouldn’t have asked Yuan for help.
In short, the reform programs were not idealistic. It was the reformers who were too idealistic to think that they could carry out the reform and overcome the obstacles Cixi put before them. A further proof that showed the programs were not idealistic was presented in the Late Qing Reform, which put many of the reform programs of the Hundred Days Reform into actions and even to a more radical extent.